From The Mountain Pass
by PunctuationPoint
Summary: Four years after returning to Jackson, Ellie still struggles with fitting in. Her journey to reach the Fireflies has left scars that have yet to heal, and without a cure, finding her purpose has become increasingly difficult. When Dina invites her to the festival, things start spiraling further out of control, for better or worse.
1. Just A Girl

**Author's Notes: A s** **pecial thanks to Art for beta'ing this thingo :)**

* * *

 _October 24, 2037, Evening_

 _Went out one night to make a little round, I met little Sadie, and I shot her down, went back home, jumped into bed, .44 pistol under my head._

The sound of an acoustic guitar echoed through the hall from a set of speakers at the far side of the room, though Ellie's thoughts soon drowned out the beginning of the first verse, her eyes focused on the floor ahead of her, and the throng of feet performing intricate patterns in a dance she barely knew. Her finger idly tapped on the glass in her hand to the beat of the song, and her gaze rose to take in the crowd. It wasn't long before her eyes were drawn to a specific face.

She knew Dina would be all over this thing, the younger girl dancing vivaciously with a boy she vaguely recognized from school, dodging and weaving through the other dancers almost effortlessly. She had a carefree smile plastered across her face that Ellie couldn't dream of replicating, and before she knew it, the two had disappeared into the crowd again. She took a sip of the whiskey in her hand, watching as the young boy held Dina close, a smile of his own creeping along his face. Ellie averted her gaze quickly, just in time to notice someone approaching her from her left side.

Closing her eyes, she mentally prepared herself, opening them again to find Jesse standing next to her, leaning against the bar she'd positioned herself next to. He sent her a smile that she returned, and his attention returned to the dance floor beyond. Sighing, he spoke to her, scratching at the stubble on his neck. "I hate these things." He, too, kept his eyes focused on something in the crowd, undoubtedly Dina. They _were_ looking in the same direction, after all.

Ellie let out a dry chuckle, quiet enough to be almost lost in the noise around them. "Tell me about it."

They probably got roped into this by the same person, the very same one dominating the dance floor. The girl was the opposite of Ellie, right down to the bubbly and outgoing personality she gave off like an aura. It didn't take long for Dina to convince her to come, though. The promise of alcohol and a night away from her homework was more than enough to turn the tide in the girl's favor. That, and Ellie, despite feeling so fucking out of place here, felt almost… peaceful being surrounded by people she's gotten to know over the last four years, and every single one of them were enjoying themselves. It wasn't often they got to host these things, so almost everyone showed up.

The only exception would be Joel, but he usually was. Most likely bossing around a few unlucky teenagers being sent out on a night patrol right now. Safety of the community first and foremost, other than her own safety, as he would put it. She didn't mind all that much, since his absence did give her a minute to breathe.

"Your old man really laid into me today."

 _Speaking of…_

Her lips twisted slightly, eyes falling to the floor again before finally looking towards Jesse out of the corner of her eye. "What happened?"

He smiled slightly, shrugging his shoulders. "Another big lecture about my patrols. Don't go here, don't go there. Funny how involved he gets whenever you're scheduled to go out."

" _Yeah_ ," the word slipped out in a hushed tone, a shrug of her own following suite. Her eyes followed Dina around the hall again, almost mesmerized by how ridiculously fucking good she was at dancing, something that Ellie still struggled with. She'd offered to give her lessons, though Ellie's turned her down every time. She managed to embarrass herself enough as it was without adding shitty dancing to the list.

"She's putting on quite the show," Jesse continued, his own eyes following the girl in question as her partner dipped her. Dina held the pose gracefully, laughing softly to herself as she was raised back to her feet just as the song came to an end. Applause filled the air for a moment, and Ellie turned her head towards Jesse.

"I give you guys two weeks until you're back together."

Jesse smiled, yet his tone remained neutral as he returned his gaze to the dance floor. "Not gonna happen." It didn't last long, however. His curiosity likely getting the better of him. "She, uh… she say something to you?"

Ellie let out a breath, an amused smile crossing her lips as Dina made her way towards them through the crowd. "Make it one week."

"Ellie! Hey!" Their conversation was cut short by the girl in question, and Ellie forced a smile onto her face, preparing herself for the onslaught of questions her friend would likely throw her way. She knew it had been coming, given how Ellie had tried to sneak into the hall without attracting too much attention, much later than she'd intended. "What took you so long?" Dina took the glass from her hands, downing the rest of her drink in one large gulp.

"Well, I'm here, aren't I?" Ellie quickly replied, her tone a mixture of amusement and tentativeness.

"Dina," Jesse spoke, raising his glass slightly in greeting. The girl matched his gaze for only a moment, returning the greeting simply before grabbing onto Ellie's hand, setting down the now-empty glass on the counter.

"Come on."

Ellie didn't resist as she was pulled onto the dance floor. Wasn't exactly the brightest idea to turn her down, anyway, even if being surrounded by people wasn't exactly high on Ellie's list of desires at that moment.

"Hey!" Ellie turned slightly as Jesse called after them. "Don't forget we leave at first light, so… get some rest."

Dina responded for her, saluting as she continued to pull Ellie deeper into the crowd. "Yes, sir."

She could practically feel the eye roll the other girl pulled, though Ellie couldn't help but smile. Finally, once they were near the center of the floor, Ellie whispered to Dina amusedly, "You're such a dick."

She received a smile back. "Come on, don't you start with me." The girl turned towards her, grabbing onto Ellie's other wrist, positioning it onto her waist. She wrapped her arms around Ellie's neck, her eyes not moving away from hers as she continued. "Okay. I have a very serious question for you…" she glanced towards herself for a fraction of a second. "How bad do I smell?"

Not the question Ellie had been expecting. Holding back the surprise inevitably threatening to flash across her face, she leaned closer to her friend, taking in a deep breath through her nose. She retracted her head, reinitiating eye contact as she mulled over what to say. "Like… a hot pile of garbage."

Her eyes widened slightly, though that same look she had on her face remained. "Oh… okay." Before Ellie could react, Dina leaned in for a hug, rubbing her cheek against Ellie's. Ellie groaned, cringing slightly as she could feel the sweat cover her cheek in a thick layer.

She clenched her eyes shut, failing to resist the urge to say "gross." Of course, it was hard to take herself seriously, giving that she couldn't get rid of the smile on her lips, having her friend so agonizingly fucking close to her being more than breathtaking. It seemed to elicit a soft chuckle from Dina, though, as Ellie bit her lip.

"You love it," she replied softly, wrapping her arm tighter around Ellie's neck, and laying her chin on her shoulder. It was overwhelming, the faint _thumps_ of Ellie's heartbeat pounding in her eardrums as their bodies swayed to the rhythm of a guitar softly playing a chord in the background. It took every ounce of strength she had to keep the rhythm, to keep her mind focused on doing what was a simple task, something that was becoming harder and harder by the second.

Her eyes scanned the crowd around her, and she could feel her breath hitching. She lowered her voice, breathing in, before finally whispering to Dina, "every guy in this room is staring at you right now."

Dina lifted her chin from Ellie's shoulder. She could feel the shorter girl's gaze, yet kept her own eyes straight ahead, not daring to make eye contact.

"Maybe they're staring at you," Dina replied just as softly. Ellie let out a breath, shaking her head.

"They're not."

"Maybe they're jealous of you."

"I'm…" Ellie choked, eyes bouncing between Dina's cheek and the room around her.

She didn't know what to say, and the things that came to mind, she wouldn't dare utter. How her heart pulsated in her ears louder and louder; how Dina's funky scent seemed to be somehow intoxicating; how she spent what felt like _years_ wanting the girl's arms wrapped around her. She'd never get that, though. She wasn't Jesse, or Miles, or a _boy_. She buried those feelings deep down, holding them close so they'd never slip out, yet that sense of control felt like it was slipping away.

"… just a girl," Ellie continued, her tone evening out. "Not a threat."

Dina pulled back, eyes searching Ellie's as she lifted a hand to her face, pulling back a strand of hair and tucking it behind Ellie's ear. " _Oh, Ellie_." There was an intensity in the girl's gaze, and Ellie instinctively gulped. "I think they should be terrified of you."

Dina moved closer, and Ellie's heart skipped a beat. Their lips pressed together, shock and awe leaving Ellie in a dumbfounded state. They broke apart for only a second before she kissed Dina back, closing her eyes in the process.

The feeling of her breath, the softness of her lips, how she tightened her grip around Ellie's neck, Ellie following suit by holding her closer. It all culminated into a feeling of euphoria she wasn't prepared for.

When they finally broke apart, there was no hesitance in Ellie's longing gaze, so many words left unsaid between them that felt as if they hardly mattered anymore. The sparkle in Dina's eyes were more than enough to relay the message, that her feelings of excitement and joy were shared in equal measure.

"See? I told you." Another smile. It was a miracle Ellie's heart was still beating at a semi-controllable pace. "They should be _terrified_."

How could she not grin at that statement? Something that seemed so silly now was nothing but music to her ears. Those worries she held in the back of her mind were gone, or pushed aside, and her grin grew wider with each passing second. Her brain was playing catch up, processing everything that just happened in what felt like slow-motion. She'd just kissed her best friend, in front of the whole town, and she found herself not caring at all. Right now, she was happy, happier than she's ever been before.

The strangeness of it made the very idea difficult to settle in her mind, as if the very thought of pure happiness was a figment of imagination, left to fairy tales and romantic comedies, and not for real life. The world was much stranger than that, and much more unforgiving. She'd seen that first hand, braved through some of the worst things imaginable and came out deeply scarred and clinging onto whatever life Joel had decided for them. She had fought to stay alive, to end up in this place, to live the life she got to now.

And now, for once in her life, maybe she had something to _live_ for.


	2. Resist

Reality only started to sink in once Ellie had found herself leaving the festival behind, strolling down the main avenue with Dina's hand softly clasping her own, urging her forward. This was really happening. She didn't imagine the kiss, or Dina's advances. Everything _felt_ real, though she expected to wake up in her bed at any moment, having never gone to the festival in the first place. That nagging feeling slowly began to grow, becoming more and more apparent until it became the only thing she was thinking about.

The moon was poking through a thick layer of clouds overhead, casting a soft glow on the town around them. A small shiver ran down her spine as the wind picked up; the telltale sign that a storm was coming. It wasn't long before the moon had disappeared behind the clouds again, leaving nothing but darkness beyond the street lights lining the road.

Dina was saying something, her expression animated, but Ellie only tuned in about halfway through. "-and they're having a party at Josh's place tomorrow. We should totally go. Just imagine: less people, lots of beer, _actual_ music?" Dina turned to face her with an inquisitive look. "Hey, Earth to Ellie, are you there?"

"Oh, uh…" She mentally slapped herself, her smile growing wider in an attempt to look like she'd been listening. In the fluorescent glow of the street lights, it was unsurprisingly easy to find herself looking towards her friend – or was it girlfriend now? – and being left mesmerized. Her rampant thoughts only compounded the issue. "Uh, yeah… that sounds great." Her words stumbled over each other, and she received a worried glance in return, the shorter girl stopping in the middle of the road.

She pulled another strand of hair behind Ellie's ear, caressing her cheek. "You okay? This isn't like – too sudden, or anything…?"

 _I mean…_

"No, it's-" Ellie stuttered slightly, struggling to find the right words to say. She closed her eyes, lowering her head slightly, before forcing them back open, and towards Dina's own eyes. "I didn't really… _expect_ this, you know?" Dina squeezed her hand tighter, and Ellie could feel herself blush. There was a brief pause as Ellie let out a breath, squeezing the girl's hand back. Dina smiled warmly, a small expression that might've gotten lost if they'd stopped in the darkness. "I – Is that why you wanted me to go?" She found herself asking, a genuine question that had been at the back of her mind since they kissed. Was it supposed to be like… _God, what was it called…? A_ _date?_ And Ellie took her time to get there just because she thought she'd just end up being there to watch her from the sidelines?

There were so many things about her friend she didn't understand, and the fact that she actually liked her was the most baffling of them all. What did she have that Jesse didn't? Or any of the other boys in town? Was she that blind to Dina's advances that the girl practically had to kiss her to get it through her head?

Dina's smile grew, her hand slowly letting go of Ellie's. "I mean… _partially_." As the words left her mouth, her arms wrapped around Ellie's neck, that same feeling of butterflies in the pit of her stomach returning almost instantaneously. "It's _really_ hard to get you to go out, so I figured a little peer pressure couldn't hurt."

Ellie rolled her eyes, though she couldn't contain her own elation, her heart _thump-thump thumping_ as if it was rigged to explode. "Well, it worked," she said, deciding to take the risk to wrap her arms around the girl's waist, only causing the girl's smile to widen further.

"Like I said..." Once again, Ellie found Dina closing the gap between them, the girl's mouth next to her ear as she whispered the words. " _You love it._ "

A quiet snort escaped her. She hadn't expected those words, and with Dina being so agonizingly fucking close, nervousness was bound to rear its ugly head at some point. Despite that, a giggle managed to reach her ears, and that was enough to have her relax.

How long had she dreamed of this moment? Far too long for her to remember. Just a small voice in the back of her head, getting louder and louder with each passing year, and every break-up Dina went through. With Jesse, they'd been off and on for what felt like an eternity, and now...

" _I give you guys two weeks until you're back together."_

That thought was more than enough to relax her smile into a frown, nearly as sobering as a cold shower. He had briefly crossed her mind, after the kiss, but she'd been so swept up in the moment, it didn't seem to matter. Now she couldn't help but wonder if he had been there to witness it.

Her body tensed up slightly, and she could feel Dina pulling her head away from her ear. Ellie averted her gaze, biting her lip. The wave of guilt washing over her felt more like a tsunami, drowning her as it pulled her deeper into the ocean of shit surrounding her. Dina was in front of her now, still smiling, though that slowly began to fade as she took in Ellie's features.

"Are you okay?"

Concern was evident in her voice. Ellie tried to smile, though it fell just as quickly. She had to say it, even if it was just to get it off her chest. She wanted this, more than anything in the world, but could she really give Jesse the metaphorical middle finger? Like Dina, he was one of her best friends. One of the few people her age that actually gave a damn about her, that tried talking to her when Ellie refused to lift her gaze.

They've both helped her through so much fucking shit, she practically owed them everything. Even today, remembering David's face and his voice and the things he'd done, and _tried_ to do… those scars weren't gonna heal. They just… got easier to deal with, and they helped her through it.

She opened her mouth to reply, her voice failing her momentarily. Finally, she sighed, looking towards the ground between them. Her voice was almost muted, and the question escaped her lips as if she already knew the answer. "What about Jesse?"

The look on Dina's face was one of consternation, as if she hadn't been expecting Ellie to bring him up. Her eyes flicked towards the church down the street, several blocks away by the time they'd stopped walking. Eyes closed, then opened, her smile dropping into a slight frown, before a sigh parted her lips. Her brows were drawn together in a look of worry, or perhaps indignation, like Ellie had brought up a sore subject. Either way, she knew it needed to be addressed, sooner rather than later.

"It's over, between him and me. He's just going to have to accept that."

Silence filled the air for a moment, and Dina slowly let her arms fall away from Ellie's neck. Ellie observed her for a moment longer, the girl's brows unfurrowing, and her arms slowly crossing over her chest. Her eyes bounced between the ground and Ellie's own eyes, as if waiting for a response. Ellie closed her eyes, clenching them shut, before finally opening them.

Maybe they could make this work. Maybe. It was worth a shot.

She slowly nodded her head, looking into Dina's eyes with a soft expression. "Okay."

Though her expression remained unchanged, Dina took a step closer to her, wrapping her arms around Ellie's neck once more. She returned it, wrapping her own arms around the shorter girl's waist. They remained there for what felt like an eternity, yet Ellie didn't want to move, and Dina made no move to do so either.

Only when the girl pulled away from her neck did Ellie open her eyes again, just in time for the girl's lips to meet her own once more. There was no holding back, a sense of longing washing over her, far too strong to resist. When they finally parted, it was only by a few inches, Dina's nose pressed up against hers as the girl let out a hushed chuckle. The noise sent a shiver down Ellie's spine, and a smile to stretch her lips.

"C'mon," was the only thing the girl said, in a whisper that was sweeter than honey. She grabbed onto Ellie's hand, willing her down the street once more.

Ellie didn't resist.

* * *

 **Another fairly short chapter this time around, but we'll be getting into the meat of the story in the next one!**

 ** _And the return of Joel :)_**


	3. The Trail

**Author's Note:** **Huge thank you to my friend Art for beta'ing this chapter, and helping me make the final section of the second scene not shit :)**

* * *

 _October 25, 2037, Midday_

Ellie wasn't really sure when she'd fallen asleep, but the way her muscles groaned in protest as she tried to stretch, she had to have been in this position for far too long. Her back was pressed against the cushions of the black leather couch, and her legs were bent slightly in order for her lanky frame to fit. The scent of sweat and lavender made her nose wrinkle slightly. As she opened her eyes, her blurry vision was filled with a wild mess of black hair just inches from her nose.

Her body stiffened as her brain spun on its tracks, cogs that had slowed to a crawl now moving twice as fast. She held her breath, eyes focused on Dina's frizzy hair in front of her. With the girl's body pressed up against her in order to fit on the couch, Ellie found herself unable to move, and her heart was beating out of her chest. She began to pull her arm away from where it had been laying over the girl's waist, and almost yelped when Dina's hand grabbed her own.

She couldn't see the girl's face, but she could almost imagine the small smile she probably had on her lips. That same smile that made Ellie melt every time she saw it, cheeks flushing as she would hold back stuttered replies to whatever Dina had been saying to her. Now, though, she had the luxury of being out of sight behind Dina. She could blush as much as her cheeks would allow, though she was hardly in control of it.

Dina was the first to speak, her voice quiet and warm as she squeezed Ellie's hand without looking back at her. "Good morning."

"Morning," Ellie mumbled, struggling to keep her voice from trembling. She looked over the girl's head with a slight movement, towards the curtained window across her messy living room. Sunlight filtered through the thin veil, and she found herself groaning slightly. "When did I fall asleep?"

"Like... not even halfway through the movie," was Dina's reply, a hint of a giggle following her words.

It had been Dina's idea to sift through the array of films stashed into the cabinet of the TV stand, fishing out movies that Ellie hadn't ever considered watching due to their groan-worthy titles and summaries. She couldn't remember the name of the one Dina eventually picked, but it was some romantic comedy about a guy who moved to New York. Last thing Ellie remembered was the protagonist meeting the girl he'd be destined to fall in love with.

" _Ehhh_ ," she groaned slightly as she tried to find a comfortable spot on the couch, failing to do so after a couple tries. "Wasn't that interesting anyway."

"Oh, come on. They kissed and everything," Dina threw the comment with a hint of humor in her voice, only causing Ellie to groan louder.

"Yeah, no thanks." She smiled slightly despite herself. "How long have you been up?" She asked after rubbing the sleep from her eyes, gaze falling towards the girl as she twisted her head to look back at Ellie out of the corner of her eye.

"Not long." She smiled slightly, chuckling. "You know you snore when you sleep?"

Ellie's cheeks burned hotter, smiling merely out of nervousness. "Sorry."

She shook her head once, smiling. "It's cute."

Before Ellie could retort, the door to the kitchen opened with a loud creak, and she instinctively stiffened. She began to lift herself up, Dina following suit, until they were sitting next to each other. Their gazes were locked on Joel as he entered the room, his right eyebrow raising in response. He carried a tray of food in his hands, and Ellie cleared the back of her throat nervously. His eyes bounced between her and Dina quickly as he set the plate down on the coffee table next to them.

"Mornin'." His voice was gruff, yet there was a tinge of warmness to it. A thought began to burrow its way to the surface of her mind, that Joel probably saw them while they were asleep. She looked towards the tray, two plates of eggs and some buttered bread were sat on it. Her stomach grumbled, and she returned her attention to Joel.

"Hey, Joel," Dina had managed to find the courage to speak first, her tone far more casual than Ellie could've ever been able to pull off at a time like this. The way Joel's eyes seemed to narrow slightly, his expression unreadable, did nothing but make her eyes twitch.

"Dina," Joel greeted, sending the girl a curt nod before taking a step back. "Your mother's lookin' for you, but I figured you two'd be hungry, so I made breakfast first."

"Thanks," Dina replied with a smile, grabbing the plate as Ellie slowly made to grab her own. She could feel Joel's eyes on her as she shifted the fried eggs around, preparing to cut into it with her fork.

The fact that she couldn't tell what he was thinking at that moment made everything a hundred times worse. She thought she had a good understanding of how he worked, yet that all flew out the window the moment she and Dina slept on the couch together.

She took a bite of the eggs, savoring the flavor for a moment. He'd gotten better at cooking in the past couple years, though the number of ingredients he had to work with had also increased exponentially while living in Jackson.

"What time is it?" Ellie asked the question tentatively, chewing on a piece of the bread.

"Almost noon," came the reply, which had Ellie's throat closing up.

 _Shit._

She was supposed to go out on that patrol with Jesse an hour ago. Her gaze fell to the plate, hastily finishing the eggs without looking towards the older man. Dina seemed to follow suit, finishing before Ellie could get to her the rest of her slices of bread. She pulled herself off of the couch in a swift movement, flashing a smile towards Ellie before looking at Joel.

"Well, I'm gonna go see what mom wants, then." She turned towards Ellie again, the glint in her eyes easily giving away what she was thinking.

 _Meet later?_

Ellie simply nodded, mumbling her goodbyes before finishing the remaining pieces of bread. She set the plate back onto the tray as the front door closed behind Dina.

It wasn't long before Joel spoke, his tone stern. "You're late."

"Yeah. I know," was Ellie's reply, a hint of annoyance seeping into her voice. She sighed, pushing herself off the couch and grabbing the tray. "Has he left yet?"

"No. Waitin' on you."

Ellie didn't say anything to that, carrying the tray to the kitchen hurriedly. She could hear Joel following her, but didn't look back towards him as she set the tray down on the kitchen counter.

"Wanna tell me what's goin' on between you and Dina?"

Her body froze, muscles tensing, if only for a moment. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye as he leaned against the counter, arms crossed over his chest.

"It's nothing," she replied quickly, twisting the knob on the sink before grabbing one of the plates, scrubbing it with a sponge that sat nearby.

"It don't look like nothin'."

Only the sound of the water followed his words, Ellie absently scrubbing the two plates before setting them in a drying rack on the opposite side of the sink. Joel shuffled his feet, standing next to her as he placed a hand on the counter.

"Look… people are talkin'. What happens between you two is your business, but ain't everyone gonna see it like that."

Silence.

"Just be careful, is all I'm askin'."

Ellie sighed heavily, still not meeting his gaze. "Okay, Joel."

"… Okay."

Finally, she turned to look at him, crossing her own arms over her chest. When he didn't say anything more, she took a step away from him. "I'll go get ready."

Joel nodded once, the topic seemingly dropped. "Alright, kiddo. See you when you get back?"

Ellie nodded quickly, trying her best to smile. She knew that Joel was looking out for her, so she wasn't really… _mad_ at him, but… She knew that things weren't going to be simple, after everything that happened the night before. Her patrol with Jesse was going to be an absolute nightmare, too. Once Joel had made to put up the empty tray, Ellie hurried towards the door, heading upstairs without another word.

* * *

 _Early Afternoon_

The trees had already begun to lose their vibrant green hue, replaced by shades of orange, red, and brown, before their leaves ultimately fell to the forest floor. The wind was colder, and the night's rain had left the layer of leaves beneath her horse's hooves muddy and matted. Ellie had zipped her green leather jacket nearly up to her collarbone, holding onto the reins with one hand as she adjusted the bow slung over her shoulder.

She kept her gaze averted from the other rider on the trail, choosing to let the uncomfortable silence that'd taken over remain. Jesse's usual smile was gone, and he only focused on their surroundings, as if expecting infected to jump out at any second. Whatever he could do not to look in her direction, Ellie assumed. _Whatever_. They had time to work this out, right? They didn't have to _talk_ while patrolling, it just… made things _easier_.

Turned out things weren't ever going to be easy, not that she hadn't already learned that lesson before.

The trail led through a narrow mountain pass carving its way between Jackson Peak and Pyramid Peak, which circled around to the north of Jackson. A small lake dominated the middle of the valley between the mountains, accompanied by a run-down ranch that had been looted far before she was born. From the mountain pass, they'd swing around to the dam, then back home to Jackson. The path had been meticulously planned out by Joel, down to the last detail. More often than not, Ellie found herself wanting to explore, venturing out to unmapped areas in the mountains, dragging Jesse along with her. This time, though, there wouldn't be any deviating.

There was a reason why Joel would lecture the guy every time they ventured out, and she doubted she'd be able to convince Jesse anyway.

They slowed to a trot as the path grew narrower, their horses riding side-by-side. She caught a glimpse of Jesse's serious expression as she held onto the reins tightly, urging the horse to jump over a root growing over the dirt path. He seemed to glance at her occasionally, like he was holding back words that were on the tip of his tongue. As the path branched out once more, Ellie decided to do it for him.

"Look, are we going to talk about this, or just spend the next half hour not looking at each other?" Her words were harsh, but her tone was resigned, calm. As for whether or not Jesse would take the bait and speak up, she didn't really care, as long as they were both on the same page.

His lips twisted tentatively, and his eyes focused on the trees ahead. She let out an annoyed sigh, biting her lip to hold back any further comments she wanted to let loose. Jesse was her friend, despite everything that happened last night. She didn't want _whatever_ was happening between her and Dina to change that.

Finally, Jesse shifted in his saddle, returning his gaze towards her. "I don't want to talk about it."

Her nerves bristled at the tone he'd adopted, lips twitching into a frown. Before she could hold herself back, words flew out of her mouth. "I didn't fucking know it was going to happen, Jesse."

He didn't answer that one, seemingly deciding he was better off not starting a fight while they were in the middle of their patrol. They'd still have to deal with each other afterwards, after all. He rubbed a hand over his stubble apprehensively, looking away.

She didn't try to say anything more, pulling a strand of hair away from her face and placing it behind her ear. The path opened to reveal the lake, its glassy green water stretching across the valley. They followed along the shore in silence, Ellie's eyes lingered on the distant mountain peaks surrounding them. They were whiter than usual, signs of snow that would eventually reach Jackson as the months drifted forward.

As they drew closer to the other side of the lake, the sound of rushing water filled the air, the calm current turning chaotic as the lake opened into a river heading downhill. Jesse prodded his horse to move faster, putting some distance between him and Ellie as the younger girl followed suit, cantering after him. Words hovered on her tongue, harsh things best left unsaid, and she ultimately bit them back.

Instead, her attention was drawn to the house they were approaching: made of polished logs that had long since started to rot, streaks of vines and moss growing in every crevice that they could find. Its roof was pockmarked with holes, large enough to fit the horse through. Trees had sprouted around it, casting most of the structure in shadow. The only evidence that the place hadn't been abandoned for decades longer than it had been was the pickup truck parked out front, its tires rotted beyond repair.

Jesse was already crossing the bridge once she made it to the house, his horse taking each step slowly. The bridge had seen better days itself, and threatened to break apart with every groan each step caused it to make. One day, it was going to give out for sure. By the time he'd made it across, Ellie was reaching the opposite side, stopping her horse with a quiet "whoa."

She twisted her head to look back towards the house once more, though her gaze stopped mid-way as something caught her eye. A movement, slow and seemingly controlled, and her breath hitched once her brain registered what she'd seen.

A body hung from a rope tied around a thick branch of a tree near the house, the wind pushing it enough to send it gently rocking back and forth. It was a man, nearing his mid-forties based on his long, salt and peppered hair. Blood coated his trimmed beard in globs of crimson, a trail that had long since dried originating from his mouth. His brown eyes were lifeless yet remained locked in an expression of desperation, as if he'd tried to escape the noose, to no avail. His crooked nose had a faint hint of blueness to it, as though it had been broken prior to his hanging. His green and white windbreaker had been torn open by a blade, only further evidenced by the ghastly sight of intestines that hung from a sloppy incision cutting across his stomach.

Ellie reminded herself to breathe, adrenaline and fear coursing through her veins for the first time in what felt like years. Her head swiveled towards Jesse in an instant, the older boy turned his horse to look towards her, as if questioning what was taking her so long, and it didn't take long for him to follow her gaze. His face grew pale in an instant.

Without thinking, Ellie slipped off of her horse, hand immediately reaching for the pistol she kept in her belt's holster. A single flick and the safety was off, finger off the trigger while she tightly clenched her fingers around the grip. She took a single step towards the corpse.

"Ellie, wait!" Jesse's voice was hushed and panicked, and she could hear him dismounting his own horse, his feet pounding across the bridge. She stopped twenty feet away from the corpse, turning towards Jesse with eyes wide.

She didn't say anything, words failing her in that moment. They hadn't had bandits out here in at least a year, since Joel had gathered a militia together to draw them out. Whatever this was, it was new. She didn't recognize the man, either, so he wasn't anyone from Jackson. Whoever he was, it was likely the people who strung him up had followed him here.

Jesse stood next to her, and she could feel him grabbing her shoulder, moving to turn her away and back towards her horse. Ellie jerked, pulling herself free. Their eyes met, his look of fear meeting her own look of defiance; the desire to learn more.

When he began to say something, she cut him off, eyes falling towards the corpse once more. "We gotta cut him down. Find out who did this, and why."

"He isn't exactly going to _tell_ us that, is he?" Jesse stated flatly, eyes narrowing as he, too, locked his gaze on the corpse.

"No, but… _look_ , we can't just leave him here."

Jesse seemed to mull over that for a moment, eyes bouncing between the hanging corpse and Ellie in quick intervals. His eyes glimmered with what she could only describe as fear, and his hands shook, like a tremor going through his body. Finally, he nodded once, taking the first step towards the corpse. Ellie followed suit, keeping in stride with the taller boy. Once they were close enough, the putrid smell of rotting flesh invaded her senses, enough to send a wave of nausea washing over her. She held back bile, pocketing her pistol as she reached for her switchblade, flicking it open. Her eyes trailed the rope until it found where it had been tied to the tree, close enough to the ground for her to reach and begin slicing away at it.

It fell to the ground with a sickening _thump_ , and Ellie pocketed her switchblade in one swift motion. Jesse quickly lowered himself onto his knees, searching the man's pockets. The only thing they managed to find was an old wallet in the man's back right pocket, though the only thing that remained inside was a worn-down QZ card. Jesse held the card out to her, and she took it, examining it.

The man's face was printed into the left of the card, and his credentials on the right. Lance Thompson, born in 1995. A FEDRA logo was printed on the top of the card, along with the words SEATTLE QUARANTINE ZONE IDENTIFICATION CARD.

"Seattle?" She read the name of the city aloud, scrunching her nose. Jesse's expression was similar. He pushed himself back to his feet, eyes scanning the card quickly.

"Card's old. He might've gotten out of Seattle before things fell apart there."

"Maybe," Ellie replied softly, reading over the card again before finally handing it back to Jesse. He returned the card to the wallet, laying it next to the man. Her gaze lingered on the body for a moment longer. Blood dripped from the entrails that hung outside of his stomach. Whenever this had happened, it was _recent_. Her eyes narrowed, and she instinctively gulped. The very thought of them still being-

Her eardrums rang as a gunshot pierced the air, instinct taking over as she rushed for the nearest cover she could find behind the tree. Behind her, Jesse's sudden pained yelp froze her muscles, and she turned to see him stumbling backwards, holding a hand over his upper arm. Blood spilled down the back of his sleeve; the bullet had gone clean through. Cursing, she rushed out of cover, the cacophony of bullets following her movements as she grabbed Jesse by his other arm, tugging him behind the cover of the log house. He leaned against the building, gasping, while Ellie pulled out the pistol from her holster.

She couldn't see whoever was shooting at them, but they were close, towards the other side of the bridge Jesse had crossed earlier. The sudden gunfire had spooked their horses, and Ellie watched as they galloped further down the trail, and out of sight.

"Fuck!" Ellie's back was now against the house, sparing a glance towards Jesse next to her. Wordlessly, they made eye contact. He squeezed the bullet wound tighter, grunting, but otherwise seemed no worse for wear.

Ellie clenched her pistol tighter, nodding once towards her friend before inching her head out from beyond the corner of the house. Movement in the distance caught her eye. Two, no, three men wearing thick coats were rushing towards them, utilizing trees as cover. It was only a matter of time before they managed to flank them.

"Alright… _fuck_. Jesse, I need you to circle around the house. Get a clear shot on these assholes." She turned towards the older boy as she spoke, just loud enough to be heard over the sound of gunfire and wood splintering. Though his look was questioning, doubtful, he nodded, still clutching his arm as he reached for his own pistol and took off. Taking a deep breath, Ellie peered out of her cover.

She could pick out two bandits hiding in the treeline beyond the river. One was bald, and his coat seemed far too small for him; he was aiming a rifle towards her, pulling back the bolt to let a fresh round into the chamber. His friend was thinner, unkempt black hair masking his features, nearly reaching his collarbone. His pistol was a similar model to her own, likely a Beretta.

As the bandit with the rifle fired, she snapped back into cover, cursing as the shot echoed through the air. She still didn't have eyes on the third bandit, but she assumed he was further in the treeline.

A gunshot from the opposite side of the house caught her attention. Jesse had made it, though his bullet didn't seem to hit anything, the two bandits still firing towards them. Once the smaller bandit hid behind a tree to reload, Ellie aimed towards the man with the rifle, firing off two shots. One pierced the man's shoulder, knocking him back, while the second flew past him. He shouted something she couldn't understand from that distance, the man slamming his back against the tree. In the absence of sound that followed, a twig snapped.

Instinctively, she ducked her head, a deafening _thwack_ sending her heart jumping into her mouth as she felt something whiz over her head. She turned to find the third man, who sported short-cropped hair and sideburns that grew to his jaw, had managed to sneak up behind her, struggling to pull his weapon back out of the rotting wood.

She lifted her pistol with a jerk of her hand, firing towards his knee. The bullet managed to graze his leg, and a howl reached her ears. That only seemed to piss him off, his face contorting as he finally managed to yank his weapon free. Ellie rushed him, intent on tackling him to the ground, but was forced to dodge the axe as he swung it furiously. She hit the ground hard, rolling until her back collided with a nearby tree trunk. She grunted, feet sliding across the ground as she tried to back away from the approaching bandit. She lifted her pistol to fire at the asshole, but he only swatted her hand away, getting on top of her before finally yanking the weapon from her hand.

Sideburns had abandoned the axe in favor of a hunting knife, pulling the weapon out with a yellow-toothed smile. She sent a punch directly into his gut, though it hardly seemed to phase him. His hands arced into a violent thrust towards her chest, and she reached out to stop him mid-way, her voice cracking as she let out something akin to a war-cry. Muscles tensed, growing weaker as the knife drew closer and closer. His smile grew with each passing second, the scar that tore across his cheek seeming to smile along with it.

Once the blade was inches away from her chest, a movement above caught her eye. A tree branch smashed against the bandit's head, and his meaty hands stopped in place, pulling back as he turned his head to face the new threat. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Jesse wielding the makeshift bat, preparing to swing again just as Sideburns yanked his hands away from Ellie's, grabbing the branch mid-swing.

Everything that happened next was based on pure instinct. The bandit's attention had diverted to Jesse, and Ellie reached for her own knife on her belt, slashing the man's stomach with enough force to pierce skin, digging into what lied beneath. Blood spurted out, the hot crimson liquid coating her hands and her shirt. Surprise etched into her victim's face, contorting into pain as he let go of the knife, focusing on her once more. By then, it was too late, she dug deeper into his stomach, grunting as she yanked the blade out.

He slumped on top of her as soon as it was pulled free.

In the moment, all she could see was Sideburns' face, blood beginning to drool out of his mouth as hands clasped around his shoulders, yanking him off. Her senses came flooding back to her one by one, and her rampant breathing filled her ears. The blood soaking her had a sickly warm feeling to it, uncomfortable yet equally familiar. Dirt wafted through the air, kicked up during the struggle, and Ellie coughed to rid them from her lungs. She wiped the blood off of her knife onto the man's coat, slipping the blade back into its sheath before reaching out for Jesse's hand as he helped her up. Once she was on her feet, she leaned against the tree, panting.

Together, their gazes fell to the body, then to each other. Worry lined Jesse's features, and she lifted a hand to stop him from asking anything. She was fine, and he appeared to be okay.

"You get the others?" She croaked between breaths. He simply nodded. "Good." She curled her fingers into fists as adrenaline shot through her veins, which was only just starting to didn't look towards Jesse as she stumbled forward, towards the bridge. "Come on. Let's find the horses."

He didn't say anything, but the footsteps thumping behind her had been the only answer she needed.


End file.
